Optimizing door-to-balloon times for STEMI interventions - Results from the SINCERE database

Background: Primary angioplasty decreases mortality and improves long-term outcomes for patients with STEMI. To be most effective, it needs to be performed expediently, with door-to-balloon times (D2B) less than 90 min. Methods: From January 2005 to presently, 420 short D2B STEMI interventions were performed at 5 community hospitals by a single experienced operator creating the SINCERE (Single INdividual Community Experience REgistry) database. Results: Median D2B time was 78 min, median procedure time (local anesthesia to recanalization) was 13 min; 85.2% of procedures had D2B time <90 min; 95% of the procedures were successful - relief of chest pain, >70% ST segment resolution, TIMI 3 flow and Myocardial Perfusion Grade 3. Conclusions: Primary PCI with high success rates and predictable short D2B times can be performed with standardized techniques in community hospitals.